Oupada: Farmers in many areas of Oupada block in Balasore district are worried as their paddy crop is getting hit by pest-infected diseases locally known as Matiagundi, Chakada, Mahisa and Patrapoda.
Most farmers said the diseases are not getting controlled despite use of pesticides. The leaves of paddy plants have wilted under the impact of the pest onslaught.
Farmers Natatabar Giri, Jayant Senapati and Mangulu Khandei of Gadasahi panchayat, Bishnumohan Patra of Majhisahi and Babu Nayak of Talakia panchayat said the pesticides supplied by the agriculture department were ineffective against the diseases.
The farmers have been running in vain to the block agriculture office seeking expert advice to save their crops.
Durjyodhan Khejuria and Krushak Sathi of Gadasahi panchayat confirmed, “The farmers had purchased pesticides from the agriculture department, but there is no let-up in the pest attacks.”
The farmers said they had borrowed from cooperative banks and private moneylenders for farming operations, and are now worried about repaying the loans.
Diseases are spreading alarmingly in the area, but the agriculture department has done nothing much to tackle the problem.
“Most paddy plants are wilting. The pesticides given by the agriculture department are not at all effective,” said a farmer.
But agriculture officials in Oupada block are blaming the farmers. They said the famers had not applied the pesticides in the way they had been told.
The farmers demanded immediate steps by the department to assess the damage and ensure speedy settlement of crop insurance claims.
PNN